DAY TRIP: Adventure Aquarium in Camden — Sharks, Hippos & a Tunnel Under the Water

Some day trips are fun for an hour. Adventure Aquarium is the kind of place that fills a whole day without anyone asking "what's next?" — sharks swimming overhead, stingrays gliding under little hands, African penguins waddling past, and two hippos that are, remarkably, the only hippos exhibited at an aquarium anywhere in the world.

📍 Place: Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Dr, Camden, NJ 08103. The aquarium sits on the Camden Waterfront, right across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, with more than 8,500 animals in two million gallons of water. Start on the lower level with the shark tunnel — walking through it while sharks pass overhead is the moment kids talk about all the way home. Then look for Hippo Haven, home to Button and Genny, the Nile hippos; Penguin Island, home to a colony of endangered African penguins; the touch tanks, where kids can feel a stingray glide by; and KidZone, a hands-on play and learning area built for younger visitors. The aquarium also claims the largest collection of sharks in the Northeast and the world's longest V-shaped shark bridge for brave older kids and adults.

🚗 Drive Time: About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours from Tenafly / Fort Lee / Palisades Park, via the New Jersey Turnpike south to Camden. Plan on 3-4 hours inside. Hours are generally weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but check adventureaquarium.com before you go, since hours shift by season. Buy tickets online in advance to skip the line, and note that wagons and wagon-style strollers are not allowed inside because the walkways are narrow — a compact stroller or a carrier works better for toddlers.

👶 What Kids Can Do: Walk through the shark tunnel and spot the great hammerhead shark. Touch a stingray at the touch exhibit. Watch the African penguins at Penguin Island. Say hello to Button and Genny the hippos in Hippo Haven. Burn off energy in KidZone. Count how many different shark species they can find.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Adults Can Do: Cross the shark bridge if you dare. Enjoy the waterfront promenade for a walk before or after your visit. Catch a keeper talk or feeding time. Pair the aquarium with lunch on the waterfront or a quick trip across the river to Philadelphia. Take the educational angle home: the aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

🧭 Things to Do Nearby: Camden Waterfront promenade. Philadelphia across the river — the Please Touch Museum and Philadelphia Zoo. Battleship New Jersey, also on the Camden Waterfront. Wiggins Park, a waterfront park next to the aquarium.

Tip for parents: go on a weekday morning if you can. Pack snacks for the car, and bring a change of clothes for toddlers who get enthusiastic at the touch tanks.